PCN urges Pharmacists to embrace technological innovations
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria(PCN), has urged pharmacists to embrace technological innovations, noting that information technology as it will facilitate national Development.
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The Registrar of the PCN, Dr, Elijah Mohammed, made this call during a presentation at the 2021 Regional Workshop of the African Pharmaceutical Forum in Lagos.
Mohammed stressed that pharmacists will benefit from embracing information technology, as it will facilitate national development.
“Technological innovations have impacted positively on the lives of millions of people, industries, and institutions, noting that the pharmacy profession has also benefited tremendously from information technology,” the PCN said.
Mohammed stated further that pharmacists should not see IT as something that will impact the profession in the coming years, adding that pharmacy and other professions are already changing as a result of technology.
“Information technology is no longer a futuristic term. We see it daily, changing and disrupting different sectors and industries including health.
“It is, therefore, necessary that pharmacists in all aspects of the practice adapt fast to the new realities of improved practice through the application of these innovations,” he said.
Dr. Mohammed noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has compelled the world, including Africa to intensify technology-enabled remote management of patients, adding that a lot of progress was made in this direction despite the challenge of inadequate infrastructure in the continent.
“These technological innovations include secure web-based platforms, which enable pharmacists to access patients’ information including hospital discharge information for improved care, electronic prescribing, supply, and administration of medicines, barcode medicine identification which helps in proper and easy identification of medicines to reduce error.
“Other innovations include automated dispensing which enables pharmacists to focus on more clinical rules and responsibilities, use of mobile telephones text alerts to remind patients that repeat prescriptions are ready or to offer services, telecare which involves the use of digital communication technology (audio and visual) to provide healthcare consultations and services to patients remotely at home,” he said.
Mohammed stated that the PCN, in line with global best practices, has put various technological innovations in place to improve regulatory efficiency, noting that the Council has designed a digitalised Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement tools on key PCN regulatory processes.
He stated further that the assessment tools for all areas of pharmacy practice have been digitalised, adding that some of them are already being implemented.
“This is in addition to the completed nationwide GIS mapping of pharmaceutical premises which is expected to improve quality inspection activities and facilitate decision making.
“A new and robust regulation on internet pharmacy services has been developed and the Council is collaborating with the INTERPOL to ensure regulation of the online sites,” he said.
MTO/Punch
